Rescue crews have recovered the bodies of seven victims reported missing after a fireworks warehouse exploded in Northern California last week, authorities said Sunday.
Television news coverage showed several explosions at the pyrotechnics facility, which is in the rural Yolo County community of Esparto, about 30 miles northwest of Sacramento. The explosions followed a blaze at the warehouse, which is owned by an active pyrotechnics license holder, according to state fire officials.
Seven people were reported missing after the explosion, which sparked a brush fire in the area. Video showed plumes of thick black smoke emanating from the warehouse, and helicopter video from KCRA-TV showed bright sparks shooting out of the burning structure, followed by a large explosion.
In a statement, Yolo County officials said Sunday that they would not identify any of the deceased until their families had been formally notified. But last week, several media outlets reported that several of the victims appeared to be warehouse employees.
The cause of the explosion remains under investigation by a host of agencies, including the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The warehouse was managed by a company known as Devastating Pyrotechnics, which has more than 30 years of experience designing and producing fireworks shows, according to the Associated Press.
“Our hearts and thoughts are with those we lost, their families, and everyone impacted in our community,” the company said in a statement last week. “Our focus will remain on those directly impacted by this tragedy, and we will cooperate fully with the proper authorities in their investigation.”
Times staff writer Nathan Solis contributed to this report.
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